[3.5] Which classes can you easily 'play as you go along?'

[Endarire]

Intro
The phrasing comes from a casual D&D player who's part of my group. He dislikes needing to research anything, and he's asked the group for help more times than he'd like. He wants to be effective while referencing a minimum of source material. He's also tired of my suggesting "Human Druid."

What do you recommend?

Candidate Classes
Crusader
Druid
Swordsage
Warblade
Wizard

(Cleric is absent from this list since referencing so many sources, like Complete Divine for Divine Metamagic, isn't his thing.)

[Nohwl]

cleric doesn't need too many sources. you can do fine with players handbook and complete divine.

[Scow2]

I suggest Warblade. Not too many maneuvers to have to choose from (And he starts with all of them prepared)

It's flexible, awesome, and if he screws up, he still has Full BAB, d12 HD, and a decent save or two.

[true_shinken]

Druid is a hassle. Your stats change during wild shape and you have to keep a list of forms, you have to choose your animal companion... and you still have the same other responsabilities from the other classes (skills, feats, ability scores, etc).

Any martial adept, Warlock, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, Warmage and Dragon Fire adept all spring to mind. Barbarian is kinda hard to screw up, too - if he gets Power Attack + pounce, that's probably already enough.

[Gavinfoxx]

Shapechange Druid is pretty good. Just fill up with battlefield control spells, have the stats of the animals you summon, and have your shapechange form stats figured out.

[JKTrickster]

I would recommend Crusader actually. Even though the Granted mechanic is weird at first, they virtually require nothing else to remember and are self autonomous from the start. No actions for refreshing is awesome and the limited amount of maneuvers means the least amount of bookkeeping.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

I would recommend Crusader actually. Even though the Granted mechanic is weird at first, they virtually require nothing else to remember and are self autonomous from the start. No actions for refreshing is awesome and the limited amount of maneuvers means the least amount of bookkeeping.

I think Warblade wins the bookkeeping match by a hair due to the delayed damage pool.

[Crow]

I know it's not on the list, but Barbarian.

But does your player not want to have to dig through multiple books while playing the class, or not dig through any books at all? If it's the first option, nevermind my suggestion. If it's the second...Well, my casual players don't want to have to sift through spells and maneuvers just so they can play the game, even if they are limited to just one book.

[Kylarra]

Can't pass up an opportunity to recommend Dragonfire Adept again. Easily my favorite class and easy to play. All you need to do is have a decent con, take entangling exhalation and you can't go wrong.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

When I think of bookkeeping, I think of "time spent looking things up and doing written legwork." If you only have to look up stuff in one book, that reduces bookkeeping, but doesn't eliminate it. I'd say a standard barbarian whose feats have written page references is generally low bookkeeping.

What I do in my 4e group is make excel character sheets that lay out what every power does, including explicit attack bonuses, damage rolls and other effects. Some upfront bookkeeping for me turns into much less bookkeeping in-game for everyone. Assuming you use computers I don't see why you couldn't do the same thing for martial characters with their meager options, or even a low level martial adept.

[DementedFellow]

Why isn't sorcerer in the list? No preparation needed. Core spells are powerful. It is -the- newbie-friendly caster.

[The Shadowmind]

Another recommendation for the warlock.

If the other players are decently optimized, then I would like to add this house rule: The chart is no longer the warlock's invocations known, but the number of invocations know each day. Or in simpler terms, allow them to swap invocations known each day. Do the same with the Dragonfire adept.

[Aran Banks]

Yeah, if you hand him the spells, Sorcerers are very nice at low levels where you don't have huge lists of options.

I'd recommend the psion, though. It's nicer, since it has a pool of points as powers that can be regulated through the pool. Very easy to use, and makes the player think about resources.

EDIT: Also, going to echo the Shadowmind, warlocks and invocation classes are EXCELLENT. I'd take one of the warlock revisions around here (on the Fire Speaker or Ebon Initiate or something) and use that.

[Scow2]

Yeah, if you hand him the spells, Sorcerers are very nice at low levels where you don't have huge lists of options.

I'd recommend the psion, though. It's nicer, since it has a pool of points as powers that can be regulated through the pool. Very easy to use, and makes the player think about resources.

EDIT: Also, going to echo the Shadowmind, warlocks and invocation classes are EXCELLENT. I'd take one of the warlock revisions around here (on the Fire Speaker or Ebon Initiate or something) and use that.

It's also better designed than the Sorcerer, which the Devs hated.

[Roc Ness]

Sorcerers and Warlocks (and by extension Favored Souls) are probably easier to play than the prepared casters, I think.

[Fizban]

While sorcerers and favored souls may be easier to play at the table, they are much worse to build, especially for a newbie. Anyone who's ever tried to build one knows that it's hard making sure you have everything you need in that tiny number of spells known. If you make a mistake and learn the wrong spell on level up, it's going to take 4 more levels to fix (or one with PHBII retraining rules, which still hurts), and you're "down" one of your highest level spells the whole time. Wizard is actually much friendlier, since the cost of fixing a bad spell choice is only about 125gp per character level. Both require lots of bookwork to play, since you need to know your spells weather you're preparing them or making absolute permanent choices, and even the PHB has a lot of spells to go through if you've never played a caster.

While the warlock has fewer choices and thus one wrong choice costs a lot more, it also has far less material to go through and takes much less time to check and correct: "What invocations do you have? -list 4 names long- Oh that third one is a trap, grab something else while we roll initiative", vs "Read entire spell list during break- uh half your spells are bad, you need to repick them and then repick the other half because you'll need some of those slots to get the decent versions of your bad spells". Yes, I just suggested ignoring normal retraining rules for the Warlock if they make a bad pick, but for some reason it just doesn't feel as extreme as it would be for a sorcerer, probably because there's just not as much work involved.

I agree that barbarians are just about the easiest class to play. The only big choices they need to make are feats, and it's very easy to say "take Power Attack, and if you don't know what else to take just grab something with rage in the name". And that's all they need: if the player doesn't want to do the work needed to make a controlling fighter then they'll be far more useful dealing damage as a barbarian. For bonus points, they avoid the Weapon Specialization trap at the same time.

[Roc Ness]

Okay, that's probably true...

[Malbordeus]

the sorceror specialists, namely

Warmage
Beguier
Dread Necromancer

they get abilities relevant to their class as they level, their spell list is fixed, so you need to look at it maybe once or twice, and they rarely come off as underpowered unless played by an actual muppet. I mean one of those cloth ones on the origional muppet show. without a human controling it.

they also have some flexibility in how they can be played, and a limited ability to customise to a players requirements, so generally.... yeah.

also, random note

Dragon Shaman. everything it uses is listed on about two pages. very minimal on the reading.

[Roc Ness]

the sorceror specialists, namely

Warmage
Beguier
Dread Necromancer

Warmage would probably be a problem to play past 6th level, though...

Dread Necro and the Beguiler I second for being easy-to-pick-up-and-play classes, though. Especially the Beguiler, as those skill points give a beginner something to do if they're usual tactics don't work.

[Prime32]

Crusader, if you print out the maneuver cards.

[dsmiles]

TWF Rogue is easy to keep up with.

[Darastin]

Why isn't sorcerer in the list? No preparation needed. Core spells are powerful. It is -the- newbie-friendly caster.

No, it is not. You really need to put a lot of thought into your spell selection or the character will suck. Sorcerers are easier to handle during actual play, but can be messed up baldy upon creation or gaining levels.

Beguilers, Dread Necromancers and Warmages are newbie-friendly. They have a pre-selected list of spells known and are spontaneous casters. Higly specialized (and in the case of Warmage, with a very weak speciality), but really easy to play and almost impossible to screw up. So, +1 to Malbordeus.

Just my two €-cents;
Darastin

[Starbuck_II]

Duskblade: you buff (blade of Blood), spell channel, and deal damage.

[Amphetryon]

Wilder deserves at least passing mention. Since its materials are virtually all contained within one source, digging through multiple books isn't the issue it might be with a Druid. Power points are as easy to track as subtraction.

If Warlock is under consideration, DFA should be, too.

[Renchard]

Spirit Shaman.

Druid spell list can do a lot, but no wildshape to track, and no summons if you don't want them.

A small spell list to track, and change it tomorrow if you don't like it.

[Person_Man]

Spellthief. Steal Spells makes you the Peter Petrelli of D&D. If your enemy has spells, you can take them and use them or burn them for a buff with Arcane Strike. If you're playing in a party with spellcasters or spell-like ability users you can use and/or borrow their magic as needed. You also have excellent Skills, and can sneak, be the party face, or use any magic item you find with ease. Plus you have a small but useful list of your own spontaneous spells. Assuming that your party or DM doesn't purposefully avoid magic, your power level basically scales with the difficulty of the encounter and the strength of your party, without you having to put any forethought into it.

[Devigod]

Frankly, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Binder. Granted, the class is within Tome of Magic, (which, while not obscure, is not an oft-mentioned sourcebook) but the player merely has to choose from a handful of vestiges each day, and then gets some nifty abilities.

It's easier to handle than spells by far, allows as much or as little roleplaying flavor to go along with it as you want, and is impossible to screw up as far as class advancement goes because one chooses their vestiges each day rather than having to worry about committing themselves to spells/powers/invocations.

[jiriku]

RECOMMEND

Warblade: easy to build, easy to play, and most maneuvers live in a fairly narrow power band, so it's hard to screw your character up through bad choices. PHB+ToB.

Warlock: like warblade, but squishy and ranged. PHB+CArc (+ optionally CM).

Beguiler: limited list, most spells on the list are decent, and if you make a bad choice, just cast something different next time. PHB+PH2.

DO NOT WANT

Barbarian: unless your party is low-op, barbarians are very one-dimensional compared to many other characters, and can leave him feeling like he has only one trick. Relies on feat chains, which require advanced planning. Best ACFs and feats are scattered through many books.

Dread Necromancer: managing all the minions and summons is a tremendous organizational challenge. Relies on feat chains, which require advanced planning.

Druid: managing the animal companion, wild shape forms, and summons is a tremendous bookkeeping challenge. Druid stuff and animal stuff is scattered through a dozen books besides.

[Kylarra]

Frankly, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Binder. Granted, the class is within Tome of Magic, (which, while not obscure, is not an oft-mentioned sourcebook) but the player merely has to choose from a handful of vestiges each day, and then gets some nifty abilities.

It's easier to handle than spells by far, allows as much or as little roleplaying flavor to go along with it as you want, and is impossible to screw up as far as class advancement goes because one chooses their vestiges each day rather than having to worry about committing themselves to spells/powers/invocations.

For me, at least, lack of familiarity kept me from mentioning Binder. I thought of it, but since I've never played one and the only mention I know of is in conjunction with hellfire warlock...yeah.

[Person_Man]

Frankly, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Binder.

I'm a huge evangelist for the Binder and other often overlooked classes like the Incarnate, Knight, etc. But if the player in question is a casual player who wants to reference as little material as possible, then learning new material (Tome of Battle, Magic, Incarnum, environment books) would probably be a poor choice for him.